


practice room;

by JustARandomFan



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Drabble, M/M, Pre-Relationship, prompt generator drabble, random taeten thoughts at 3am
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-29
Updated: 2019-10-29
Packaged: 2021-01-08 02:09:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21228035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustARandomFan/pseuds/JustARandomFan
Summary: In which Ten is worried and Taeyong just wants to see him smile.





	practice room;

Ten couldn't understand what the company was planning for him—for _them_.

One day the plans for his group, WayV, sounded all well and good. The next thing he knew they were barely getting to perform on stages, not all of his members get acknowledged by the company, and they were stuck being brand ambassadors or doing advertisements.

(Which, _God_, he's thankful for but Ten wants to perform—_needs_ to perform. His body inherently craves the release of dancing on stage.)

With one last spin, Ten collapses on the wooden floor of one of SM's many practice rooms. Sweat trickles down his neck as he reaches for his phone and a towel.

**11:27 PM**

A sigh escapes his lips. It was almost midnight, _again_.

**1 Unread Message**

**[Kun: ten come back to the dorm before midnight ok]**

Ten puts his phone down, closing his eyes. Thoughts, possibilities swarm his head. His peace comes with the rush of dancing, but today the calm wasn't there.

Too much uncertainty, constraints, and questions.

(_What if they get tired of promoting in China? What if the company moves on from us? What if the fans forget us? What if what if what if_)

Too lost in his thoughts, Ten doesn't notice the door of the practice room open, revealing a man in a white shirt with grey-black hair.

Taeyong knew Ten was going to be there. He always was. Even while they were still in the midst of practicing for 'Baby Don't Stop', Taeyong already came to realize that Ten seemed to have developed a liking to this particular practice room. He thinks it's because it was the site of Ten's (and most of NCT's, really) final trainee evaluation—where he finally, _finally_, realized that he made it.

(But Taeyong also likes to think—late at night, when he allows himself a little bit of selfishness—that perhaps Ten likes that room, too, because they met there first. All those years ago.)

Softly, Taeyong treads across the room, sitting beside Ten's figure.

"Hey."

Ten wasn't startled by his presence. He knew Taeyong was coming. He always did.

"Hyung." Ten whispers in acknowledgment, opening one eye to look at his visitor.

"Heading home soon?"

"Yeah. I have to get back before Kun gets all cranky again."

Taeyong smiles. "You should."

Ten sits up. "What are you doing here still, hyung?"

"Ah. Management wanted to finalize some details about the upcoming comeback promotions."

There was a tiny pinch at his heart. It was small, but the envy was there.

(This feeling made Ten mad because he was so, _so_ proud of them. So glad his friends are showing the world who NCT is. He just couldn’t help but wish he was there too, performing for thousands upon thousands of fans. He wants the deafening applause; he wants to show them all what more he’s capable of.)

Taeyong saw Ten's crestfallen expression the split second it appeared on his face.

(Taeyong thinks he's memorized all the faces Ten makes. He sometimes wishes he had Ten’s artistry, so he can sketch and finally have an outlet for the emotions weighing down on his chest.)

For a few beats, both of them sit in silence.

"Tennie," Taeyong slides his body clockwise, fully facing Ten. "What did the ocean say to the shore?"

"What?" Ten tilts his head in confusion at the random question.

"Nothing. It just waved."

Ten raises a brow at his hyung, but says nothing.

"How about this. What did the tired criminal need?"

"Hyung? What—"

"Arrest. He needed arrest."

Ten continues looking quizzically at Taeyong, the end of his lips curving upward.

"What's the stupidest animal in the jungle?"

"What?"

"The polar bear."

Ten huffs but a smile stays on his face. "Hyung, that doesn't even make sense."

(Taeyong loves his smile the most. He swears his world slows to a stop whenever Ten does it.)

"I know it doesn't." Taeyong laughs. "But it made you smile didn't it?"

(Ten thinks he feels another pinch at his heart. He doesn't understand but he knows it isn't _heavy_ or sad.)

The older man sighs, smiling sadly up at the studio lights above. "I don't know what's going to happen. Or what the plans are. But I know that we'll always be here for each other—all of us. They may tell us we can't talk about Winwinie, or that we can’t mention _you _or WayV, but we'll find a way. So, please, don't worry too much."

(And Ten _trusts_. He trusts his friends—brothers, the same people who performed with him when they were rookies, the same people whom he made a promise with.)

Ten was about to thank his hyung when a familiar sound rings from his side.

"That must be Kun." Taeyong chuckles. "You should get going."

"Hyung, you're staying?"

Picking up the things sprawled across the floor and handing them to Ten, Taeyong nods. "I have to practice just a bit more for tomorrow."

Ten purses his lips but lets it go. "Don't stay up too late."

"I won't, Tennie."

(It's weird to Ten how the world felt heavy on his shoulders when he entered the practice room hours ago; the thoughts built a fortress in his mind.

But it only took a few words—glances, smiles—to ease some of his fears.

Perhaps he just needed someone to understand. And it _hit_ him that Taeyong always understands—he always _knows_.)

"And Ten," Taeyong calls for him just before he reaches the door. "Try to keep that smile on your face. I hate seeing my favorite dancer sad."

(And _that_ was new, too. Since when had Taeyong been so confident?)

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by TaeTen's interactions (or lack thereof) while in LA for SuperM and it just fit that WayV is coming back as well! Literally thought of writing it at 3AM, so don't take it too seriously. 
> 
> Taeyong's "jokes" were taken from the internet!


End file.
